The theme for the 2011-14 Triennium of Friends United Meeting is: A Great People to Be Gathered. Friends United Meeting spans the world and is the people of North America, Cuba, Jamaica, Belize, Ramallah, Kenya and Uganda. One way Friends United Meeting can be gathered from all corners of the globe is through prayer.

In 1652, the founder of Quakerism, George Fox, “came near a very great hill, called Pendle Hill, and I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of it [where] the Lord let me see in what places he had a great people to be gathered.”

Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

This year we challenge you to think about how you can be part of this great people called Friends United Meeting. When your meeting signs up for the Chain of Prayer you are assigned a day to pray and a partner meeting for whom to pray. Make A Great People to Be Gathered a theme in your meeting and consider these options for your day in the Chain of Prayer:

Make it a priority to gather into fellowship with God and Friends around the world to pray for the ministries of your own meeting, a partner meeting and those of Friends United Meeting.

Invite Friends to sign up for individual or small group prayer times or organize a special prayer meeting on your day in the Chain of Prayer.

Consider inviting an FUM staff member to come to your meeting and share what A Great People to Be Gathered means to him/her.

Learn more about how your support of the ministries of Friends United Meeting helps gather people into fellowships around the globe (use Quaker Life magazine as a guide or call the FUM-Richmond office for PowerPoint presentations and more information).

Take up a special collection to help continue this good work.

Friends are challenged to prayerfully envision the members, ministries and resources of Friends United Meeting as part of a fresh movement of God’s Spirit in which we are gathered together, generously open to the Holy Spirit, to do the Lord’s work. Join us for the 2012 Chain of Prayer!